Loading platform for garbage disposal machine



Jan. 20, 1959 H. HIGER LOADING PLATFORM FOR GARBKGEI` DISPOSAU MACHINE Filed Nov. l15, 1955 IN V EN TOR.

HARRY HIGER United 2,869,795 Patented Jan. 20, 1959 LOADING PLATFORM FOR GARBAGE DISPOSAL MACHINE D Harry Higer, Detroit, Mich.

Application November 15, 1955, Serial No. 546,946 Claims. (Cl. 241-301) This invention relates to matter cutting or disintegrating apparatus and particularly to such apparatus provided with an improved loading platform. The present application is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending applications Serial No. 352,882, filed May 4, 1953, now abandoned, for Disposal Apparatus; and Serial No. 420,286, filed on April l, 1954, for Disposal Apparatus.

Inthe use of machines disclosed in my said co-pending applications, provision of mattenloading hopper or similar means proved to be a difficult problem. It has been found that conventional lhoppers used in machines of` this general nature are wholly unsatisfactory from the standpoint of safety, convenience and efhciency of the operation of the apparatus. Particularly, it was found that hoppers provided directly above the machine` are highly undesirable, since pieces of matter including hard objects such as pieces of metal or glass fly out from the machine upwardly or sidewise, presenting danger to personnel. Pieces of matter and water thrown and splashed around the machine make it necessary to keep the hopper covered when the machine is operating. Howof the machine is inconvenient, and taking the cover off in spite of the above difficulties is nevertheless necessary for proper loading of the matter into the machine. In addition, the cutting blades are partly exposed and can l be easily reached by hand, providing temptation to reach into the recess to push stuck pieces downwardly or for `highly undesirable as unsanitary, inefficient and tiring.

One of the objects of the present invention `is to provide an improved apparatus of the character `described herein, whereby the difficulties and disadvantages explained above are overcome and largely eliminated.

Another object of the present invention isto provide a matter-cutting or disintegrating machine having an im-` proved loading platform which can support considerable amount of matter thereon, which matter can be pushed into the machine in small portionswithout the necessity of raising it or carrying it to the hopper in small portions from another container or raising it from the floor. j

A further object of the present invention is to provide a matter-cutting or disintegrating machine having an improved loading platform which prevents hard pieces of material such as pieces ofglass or metal from flying out of the machine, as well as the soft matter and water from being thrown around and splashed around the machine.

A still further object of the present invention is to pro .vide a matter-cutting or disintegrating machine having an ever, with the hopper being even partly covered, loading l j the machine from `one of its sides.

- t A still further object of the present invention is to pro-I vide a machine for cutting or disintegrating matter having an improved loading platform and means whereby the matter is transferred from said platform into the matter receiving recess of the machine and discharged therein in the direction of the rotor rotation. p

A still further object of the' present invention `is to pro` vide va machine for cutting or disintegrating matter, having an improved loading platform provided with means to separate and to arrest larger pieces of ferrous metals.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and appended claims, refereucebeing had to the accompanying draw ings forming a part of `this specification, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a perspective view illustrating a garbage dis- -posal machine provided with a loading platform` ern rangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and `of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology and ter` ininology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In accordance with the invention, I discard the use of conventional hoppers in connection with machines of this nature. I provide a substantially horizontal platform `which has the double function of covering the top of the machine to prevent pieces of'material from flying out therefrom, and also to support a considerable amount of matter to be cut and to permit spreading such matter thereon in a relatively thin layer, and thus to enable 'the operator to separate and take out objects such as bottles,

` pieces of metal and the like. Such a platform is arranged preferably centrally of the machine but overhanging the same for some distance, such as l-3 feet, depending on the size of the machine and other conditions. The matter is passed from the platform to the recess through a chute which is inclined and, therefore, passes the matter into the machine by gravity, permitting the matter to slide into the machine. I prefer to discharge the matter into the machine at one side of the center line of' the rotor and in the direction of the rotor rotation, whereby the matter is drawn into the recess by the action of the cutting blades rather than pushed out therefrom. The inclined chute is made sufficiently long to prevent the operator from trying to reach into` the recess with his hand, `whereby possibility of accidents from such a cause is eliminated.

Retaining walls may be provided at least around the three sides of the table in order to prevent the matter from falling offthe table, and yet to permit loading of A magnet may be provided adjacent the matter-receiving opening in the table to arrest pieces of ferrous metals. It is also desirable to provide a ridge at such opening adapted'to serve as a stop for such pieces of metal as the same ae chute in order to facilitate sliding of the matter into the` machine, and for washing the machine, j t

y `portant' safetyl requirement;

An apronV may be provided withinthe chute, which apron being hinged at its upper edge tends to keep itself closed to provide additional safety shield and yet be 'opened bythe Vmatter-for passage thereof into the machine. With such aconstruction, when the chute becomesempty, andthe' matter does not serve to stop hard `pieces from flying `into the chute, the apron falls down and provides Such means.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown therein by way of example a structure embodying the present invention. Referring 'specifically tothe drawings, there is shown therein a matterlcutting or disintegrating* ma- Vchine comprising' casingv 10 and having a rotor 11 operatively mounted therein fori rotation, saidlcasing and said rotor being recessed to form an annular converging recess l2; A number of stationary cutting blades i3 are provided'on the casing10 while'a number 'of'm'oving bladesl14 is provided'on the/rotor. Blades 13 and 1d vmeet in cutting engagement substantially along the bisector line of thecross section of the converging recess. Because the .number ofthe blades on the casing is different from that on the rotor, only one pair of blades is in cutting engagement at the'same moment of time in order that the entire power of the machine is applied to shearing the matter between only one pair of the'blades.

The machine illustrated in the drawings in a general way is disclosed in detail in my said co-pending applications and no further description thereof for the purposes of understanding the present invention is deemed necessary herein,

ln accordance with the invention there is provided above the matter-receiving recess 12 a loadingtable or platform comprisinga horizontally extending'shield Z0 supported'on the casing t0 withfthe aid of sub-structure 21 of `any suitable character, capable of supporting the shield 2t! and the Weight of the matter that may be irnposed thereon, as well as closing the space between the shield 20 and the casing 10. The shield 20 is preferably provided with upstanding flanges such as 22, 23 and 24. It is preferable to have such anges at least along two meeting sides of the table 20 to form an angle as indicated at 25. It will be understood, however, that such angle neednot-have a sharp vertex but may be well loaded or have other configuration. The flanges are intended to prevent `the matter from falling off from the platform 'while being pushed thereon. The size of the platform or shield 2t) is made suciently large to cover the top of the' machine and to overhang the same by a desired distance, as is best shown in Fig. 2.

At one of the corners of the platform there is provided almatter-receiving opening 30 whichv may be of any suitable size and shape. Leading from the openingv V30 is an inclined chute 31 formed between the shield 420 and the inclinedwall 32;. The chute 3l leads into the matterreceiving recess Vl2 ofthe machinel and comes 'thereinto on a tangent in the direction of rotation of the rotor, as is best shown in Fig. 2. Ey 'virtue of 'such an arrangement the matter falling into the recess is thrown for wardly by theblades of the machine, instead of being thrown'back into the chute. An apron 33 is provided in the'chute 31 by being hinged at its top, as indicated v-at 34, and is adapted to be opened by thematter sliding a'longi the wall 32 but falling down and closing the chute 31 by-itslown weight. 'By virtue of such a construction, 1therece'iving endof the `chute 3i is closed substantially at all times for the splashing water and matter that may fly from the machine. Such closing is effected by the Iapron 33 or by lthe :matter under 'the lower edge thereof. T he i-cl'tute 3ft is -madesufficiently long in order that an operatorlcouldfnotreach 'the blades with his arm vthrough thelopenin'g Such a' construction satisfies an iml A water discharge outlet .mais providedfatethe upper end of thechu'te 311 a's-s'ho'wn `in .Figi 'l inlorfder ftofacilit`atesliding of the matterinto .tl1e^machine, andrfor wa's'liingthe machine.

The machine embodying the 4present invention, 'particularly when made of a medium size for use incommercial institutions such as restaurants, hotels, hospitals and the like, can crush objects such as bottles, metal spoons and knives. However, the purpose of the machine is not to crush glass 4or metal and, therefore, means are provided to separate such matter and remove it from the platform before it falls into the machine. In the present embodiment of the invention such means are exemplified by` permanent magnets or electro-magnets designated generally by the numeral 35 and disposed underneath theshield 2@ near the opening 30. Should a metal article, such as a knife or a bolt, find its way to the loading platform, it will be drawn by themagnety either into direct contact with the platform or table 20 or into such close proximity as to offer sufficient resistance to its moving along the platform and thus to give an indication to the operator of its presence, or to contact ridge orstops 36 provided along the edges of the opening 30 to ystop such metal articles. Thus the operator can easily notice presence` of such articleson the platform, and vhe can removerthenr` by hand and toss them into a container that may be providedffor such purpose.

Itshould'be understood that theplatform20 may be extended to the:point when it would be not onlythe matter-,receiving platform but would provide a working space, such as is required in a meat-cutting table and the lilte, and thus form a working table from which the cutoifs that lwould otherwise be thrown into the garbage for later disposal are immediately shoved 01T into the opening Sfor'immediate cutting and disposal. With `such a construction the flanges may be rearranged to Asuit the condition of the work at the table.

rfhere is thus provided an improved loading table-or platform for use in combination with my cutting anddisintegrating machine, whereby' the objects of the present invention and numerous additional advantages are attained.

I claim:

l. In an apparatus -of the character described, a structure provided with a vertically extending matter-receiving recess having a rotor operatively arranged therein, a loadingplatform comprising a'horizontally extending table arranged above said recess andhaving ank opening for passage of the matter therethrough, upstanding walls Vprovided along the edges of said platform, an inclined chute leading from the opening in said platform into lsaid recess, and an apron provided in said chute and VKsaid recess yand overhanging the same, said table being .provided at one of its corners with a matter-receiving opening, an inclined chute leading from said opening into said recess substantially diagonal of said table for passing the matter from said table into said recess at one sideo'f the axis thereof and in the direction of rotation of said rotor.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a structure provided with a vertically extending matter-receiving recessVv having a rotor operatively arranged therein for cutting the'matt'er received in said recess, a matter-loading platform comprising a substantially horizontal table supported on vthe machine structure above said recess and having upstanding walls along its edges, said table being provided with a matter-receiving openingdisposed laterally with respect to said recess, an inclined chute ieadi'ng from said opening into vsaid recess for passing the matter "from said table into said recess, saidchute having its discharge opening on one side ofi-the rotor and discharging the matter in the direction of rotation fO'f 'the "IOOL 4. In an apparatus of the character described, a structure provided with avertically extending matter-receiving recess having a rotor operatively arranged therein for cutting the matter received in said recess, a matter-loading platform comprising a substantially horizontal table supported on the machine structure above said recess and having upstanding walls along its edges, said table being provided with a matter-receiving opening disposed laterally with respect to said recess, an inclined chute leading from said opening into said recess for passing the matter from said table into said recess, and a magnet provided adjacent the matter-receiving opening underneath said table for arresting pieces of ferrous metals.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a structure provided with a vertically extending matter-receiving recess having a rotor operatively arranged therein for cutting the matter received in said recess, a matter-loading platform comprising a substantially horizontal table supported on the machine structure above said recess to cover said recess fully and to overhang for substantial distances around all sides thereof, said table being of rectangular shape and having upstanding walls at least along its three sides with a matter-receiving opening being provided in said table at one of the corners formed by saidpwalls with said opening being disposed laterally with respect to said recess, an inclined chute leading from said opening into said recess and having its discharge open ing on one side of the rotor in the direction of rotation of the rotor, and an apron provided in said chute and hinged at its top.

References Cited in the rile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,459,713 Beggs June 26, 1923 1,968,515 Coble et al July 31, 1934 2,004,737 Tonks lJune ll, 1935 2,172,188 Cather Sept. 5, 1939 2,339,961 Stevenson Jan. 25, 1944 2,630,918 lanows Mar. l0, 1953 2,757,872 Rehwald Aug. 7, 1956 

